Refrigerated transport is an essential part of the supply chain for some major industries, the largest being food and pharmaceuticals. Using our years of experience in refrigeration technology, we have brought our expertise into transport refrigeration, making Daikin an all-round provider of HVAC-R solutions for the cold chain industry in central Europe.
Changes in the grocery industry in recent years have seen increases in home delivery services and a rise in dark stores across Europe. As the need for cold storage evolves to include these new operations, it is important that technology and engineering follows suit to meet the continuing goal of a healthy supply chain with minimal wastage. At the forefront of this sector, Daikin continues to develop new products, our most recent innovative solution being the Exigo E1500.
Daikin’s move into refrigerated transport
Daikin has many years’ experience of design and manufacturing within commercial and industrial refrigeration, so with the acquisition of Zanotti in 2016, the next step into transport refrigeration became a reality. Already known for their unique approach to refrigerated vans and trucks, the combined expertise of Zanotti and Daikin put us in an ideal position to become a major player within the European transport refrigeration industry.
In the years since, we have continued with research and development to design and manufacture transport refrigeration products that meet the needs of the changing cold chain industry while also providing sustainable solutions, as we work toward our goal of meeting net-zero by 2050.
- Light Commercial Vehicle and Van Refrigeration
- Light Truck Refrigeration
- Truck Refrigeration
- Trailer Refrigeration
The Invisible range and the Zero range for refrigerated vans can be installed in either direct-drive or electric vehicles.
As the name suggests, the Invisible range of units cannot be seen as the unit is positioned underneath the chassis. The dimensions of the vehicle are not affected, making it an ideal option where space saving is a priority.
The Zero range is a flexible refrigeration unit that can be mounted either on the roof or the front wall of the box. It has easy access for installation and servicing and can be configured for a wide range of refrigeration applications.
Both Invisible and Zero also have a Multi model within the range, which allows for setting multiple temperature zones within the same vehicle.
The SFZ model is designed for refrigerated trucks up to 6.5 metres in length. It is installed on the front wall of the box and can be used with a combination of different evaporator and fan settings to meet the refrigeration requirements of the truck and contents. The SFZ Multi-Temp options have the added feature of additional evaporators, enabling the transport of products stored at different temperatures in separate zones in the truck.
For large trucks, the high cooling ability and energy efficiency of the Uno range is ideal. The Uno units are fitted on the front wall of the box and are available in different capacities, making them suitable for a range of refrigerated vehicles. There is also an Uno Undermount model which can be installed under the box. Uno refrigerators are designed for high reliability and performance, powered independently with a diesel engine. As with our other refrigerator transport solutions, the Uno range also has a Multi option so goods can be transported in different temperature zones within the same vehicle.
The Daikin Exigo E1500 trailer refrigeration unit was revealed in 2021, adding to our range of refrigerated transport products. The innovative, lightweight design of the Exigo makes it easy to install and the inclusion of Daikin’s inverter technology means it can achieve up to 20% lower fuel consumption when compared to fixed speed units.
As the newest addition to the Daikin transport refrigeration range, Exigo is built with advanced telematics ideal for managing entire fleets and a high-resolution graphical interface to make operating the unit easy for drivers throughout the journey.
Daikin’s support network
The reliability of Daikin products and the support available provides peace of mind when transporting refrigerated products is the primary function of your business. We have a network of engineers and technicians across central Europe, providing 24/7 service for maintenance and repair. All our units are manufactured for high performance using high quality genuine parts engineered by Zanotti and backed by a standard two-year warranty. There is also the option of an extended warranty for up to five years.
The rise of dark stores and the impact on refrigerated transport across Europe
The emergence of dark stores is changing the face of food supply and grocery shopping. In early 2021 almost two billion euros were invested by start-ups across Europe moving into dark store grocery fulfilment. As more people opt for online ordering and home delivery of food, economy experts expect that more dark stores will open, particularly in high-demand areas.
The increase in dark stores and online food shopping benefits refrigerated transport at both ends of the cold chain of supply. With their promise of faster delivery options, it is important for dark stores to ensure the safe supply of high-quality fresh foods to their customers. Not only does this mean a growing number of reliable refrigerated vans are needed to deliver from store to home, but as more dark store locations pop up, there is also an increased requirement for the distribution of refrigerated products from supplier to retailer.
The future of refrigerated transport
In a constantly evolving market, it is necessary to anticipate the future demands of the industry. Our Technology Innovation Centre for Refrigeration is a research and development facility where we continue to design and test products to ensure we are always at the forefront of refrigerated transport technology. Understanding the needs of our customers and having the expertise to continually innovate our products are an important part of our process.
At the same time, all future developments must continue to be designed to reduce the environmental impact through low emissions and advanced technology without compromising the cooling ability needed for refrigerated transport.
For more details about Daikin’s transport refrigeration solutions, you can download our catalogue or contact us via the links here.